I just stated that I'm trying to learn to work more from open guard because I've been told closed guard isn't the best idea for MMA. I didn't mean for people to read that I was advocating using the de la riva or spider guard in MMA.

The first 4 months of my bjj training was all closed guard (we drilled open guard stuff, but I always just stuck with closed guard in sparing) I would open my guard just long enough to get a sweep. Its really only the last 2 months that I've started to open my guard and activly work submissions from the bottom (successfully). I'm starting to love spider guard, butterfly guard and half guard. Especially half guard as it used to be a 'I'm screwed' postition for me. I'd either get back to closed guard, or get passed. Now I've gotten used to half guard I'm nto so helpless anymore.

I'm probably 95% open guard. Keeping my guard closed extrememly limits my game from a sweep and submission perspective. I like to use the small mistakes a person makes when passing for setting up a sweep, reversal, or submission, i.e., omaplata and the multiple options from a failed or incomplete oma.

I usually only utilize the closed guard when I get into trouble and need to start over or if I am just replacing guard after countering a sweep or submisison attempt.

Otherwise, I'm always open. My school preaches against the "lay and pray" strategy that often goes hand in hand with a closed guard game.

You can actually sort of play spider guard no gi if your opponent is wearing MMA gloves because the gloves allow you to control the wrists pretty well. It's still a horrible idea to play spider in MMA though.